Salamanders
by ZeldaDragon
Summary: Trinity and Neo share a late-night talk, among other things.


This is a random little one-shot that came about as a thought during that state between the waking world and being asleep. It's much lighter on the angst and drama than I usually write, so if that's what you're looking for, go read something else by me. If you're looking for a sweet piece of the love between Neo and Trinity, read on.

This takes place between the first and second movies, probably closer in the timeline to the first. Mostly dialogue, with a few minimal paragraphs. Rated for a good bit of romance, but nothing too graphic. I don't have the nerve to write that sort of stuff just yet…

Since I pretty much spit this out in 48 hours, it is not nearly as detailed as I usually like to write. But I'm still pretty fond of this one, especially since it is much sweeter than you'd find in many of my other works. This may be because I was shoving my mouth full of animal crackers and listening to Linda Eder while I was typing, but hey, who cares as long as it all came out nice, right? See? I'm not always morbid. Or at least not when I'm stuffed full of chocolate and animal crackers.

This is a stand alone, but I might be able to get out a few other short stories like this one if you'd like. Feedback is greatly appreciated.

I know the title is a bit odd, but there is a meaning behind it. Anyone want to take a stab at it?

Disclaimer: Never have been, never will be mine.

Enjoy!

A very reluctant Neo wearily opened his eyes. He blinked a few times to bring them into focus, wondering what had woken him. According to his somewhat reliable internal clock, it was early morning, probably around one or two. The room was silent, the hum of the engines a quiet presence. Everything seemed normal. He tightened his grip around Trinity's waist subconsciously, pulling her a bit closer. It was then he realized what was out of place. She was awake; he could tell by her breathing and the tenseness of the muscles in her bare back as it faced him.

"Why are you awake?" Neo asked softly, nuzzling his face between her shoulder and neck from behind.

"Thinking," was the only answer he received.

"'Bout what?" He kissed the side of her neck.

"Things," A smile could be heard in her voice.

"Well, yes, I can sorta figure you'd be thinking about 'things',"

Trinity smirked, though he couldn't see it. "Why are _you _awake?" she asked, turning his words against him.

"You," Neo mumbled as he began trailing light kisses down her neck and across her shoulders. "You woke me,"

"I did, hmm?" She turned in his arms to face him. "Now how did I do that?"

"I dunno," He took this as a chance to lean his forehead against hers, their noses almost touching. "I guess I could tell that you were awake. Now," He met her eyes as he redirected the conversation. "What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing important," Trinity propped herself up on an elbow.

"I highly doubt that," Neo pointed out. "Especially since it has you so tense," To emphasise his words, he reached up and kneaded at the taut muscles at the base of her neck. "It's all right; you can tell me,"

Her lips quirked downward, the lighthearted air evaporating. "It's just a feeling…" She shook her head, musing if she should tell him the truth. "Neo, I've been fighting this war for a very long time. Now that you've come, there's been talk of it all ending, that this will all be over soon. But…" She trailed off, still not sure if she should continue.

As though he could sense her unease, he reached up and stroked her cheek, letting his fingers linger, keeping his eyes connected to her own. "What?"

Trinity blinked, looking away as she took a deep breath to go on. "But somewhere in the back of my mind, I know that I will not live to see the end,"

Neo was taken aback. The nightmare he had had the night before last resurfaced but he pushed it away as his lover continued to speak.

"I don't know how to explain it, but somehow I have this feeling that I am going to die, whether it be tomorrow or next week or next year," Her eyebrows furrowed. "I am not afraid of death; I've known this war was going to claim my life from the day I started fighting. But now…after everything I've been through," She shook her head again, swallowing harshly around the lump in her throat. "Neo, I don't want to leave you,"

"Shh," Neo put a finger over her lips, almost wishing that she had not said anything. "Nothing is going to happen to you; I'll make sure of it,"

"I know," Trinity smiled sadly. "It's just a feeling,"

"Let's change the subject," Neo said abruptly, leaning in to kiss her softly. "Morpheus told me that we're headed toward Zion. It will be my first time there; what's it like?"

"Huge," Trinity said, "And warm,"

"That sounds nice," He kissed her again, still drinking in the fact that he could do so whenever he wanted.

"It is," Trinity mumbled against his lips before pulling back. She eyed him fondly before saying, "I think it's almost time for my shift,"

"Wait," Neo grabbed her arm as she tried to disentangle herself from the blankets. "You've hardly gotten any sleep; it's not healthy,"

"I'm used to it," She grinned half-heartedly. Truth be told, she would much rather stay in bed with Neo and continue what they had started the night before.

Thinking along the same lines, Neo pulled her back down beside him. "I'm sure Morpheus wouldn't mind waiting a little longer," Not waiting for a response, he leaned on top of her and kissed her once on the lips before tuning his attention to the exposed skin of her neck and upper chest.

"Neo," She had to work to suppress a smile as she tried to squirm away from him. He didn't give up without a fight, though, making her escape quite difficult. "I'll get in trouble,"

Neo pulled back slightly, but not enough for her to move from beneath him. "We can't have that, now can we?" Knowing the spot to be sensitive, he lightly tickled the skin beside her hip bone. Trinity had to bite her lip to keep from howling with laughter, but she kept trying to get away. "Fine, then," He stopped and kissed her deeply before removing his weight from atop her. But before she could reach for her clothing, which had been scattered around the tiny room from the activities last night, he pulled her back to the lumpy mattress and got up instead.

"What are you doing?" she asked, watching as he pulled on the only pair of pants he had at the moment.

"Taking your shift," He grabbed his sweater from the chair by the door. "You need to sleep,"

"No, I don't," Trinity pulled herself up and swung her bare legs over the side of the bed. "You do. I can take my own shift,"

Neo walked back over to her and pushed her down into the warm spot she had just vacated. "Please, let me do this for you,"

"Why?" she challenged, staring up at him.

"Because I love you," His brown eyes left no room for an argument.

"I know," Trinity said softly. "Fine, go,"

Neo smiled gently at her as he shoved his feet into his worn boots. "Thank you,"

"I should be thanking _you_,"

"You already have," He leaned down to kiss her one last time before he left the room.

Trinity watched the closed door, sighing. She squeezed her eyes shut, but couldn't seem to find sleep no matter how much she may have wanted it. Even though it had been a little over a week, she had grown very used to feeling Neo spooned behind her, his arm wrapped comfortingly around her waist, his deep breaths stirring her hair. Now, without his presence around her, it was very difficult to get comfortable. He had only been gone five minutes, for goodness sake! Making up her mind, she stood and gathered her clothes.

Neo had just relaxed in the operator's chair when he felt a pair of strong arms circle around his neck from behind. Before he could turn around, Trinity pressed her lips to his neck, returning the favor from earlier.

"Trin," He turned slightly, only to be met with her mouth pressed to his own. He pulled away and looked at her. "You're supposed to be sleeping,"

Trinity grinned. "Did you really think I could sleep now that you had me all riled up?" she asked between pressing wet kisses to his neck and face. "Besides," she added, nipping at his lips, "I missed you,"

"I can tell," He grinned, reaching up to pull her in for the kiss she was teasing him with. She met him halfway, her mouth turned up in a tiny smile. "Since when have you been so playful?" he mumbled as he took a breath.

Trinity chuckled deep in her throat. "Since now," she retorted, pulling him back and deepening the kiss by parting their lips and biting at his.

Neo pulled her down into his lap, running his tongue over her swollen lower lip before turning away and letting her kiss a line along his jaw bone. "What's wrong?" she muttered, moving up to his ear and down his neck.

"What makes you think something is wrong?" He closed his eyes and raised his head to give her more space.

"I dunno," she replied, her voice muffled by his skin. "You usually do more than just sit there," She repositioned herself so that she was straddling his legs, one arm was wrapped around his neck, her fingers circling the plug at the base, the other pressed into his chest.

"Well," He shivered as a chill ran up his spine, leaving warmth in its' wake. "You've never -" He gasped as she bit at a sensitive spot on his neck. "You've never done this before,"

"Hmm," Trinity breathed, smirking as she continued her trek across the expanse of skin at his collarbone above his tattered shirt. "There's a first time for everything,"

"I guess so," Neo grasped her arm as her hand snaked beneath his shirt and up his chest. "Can't we get in trouble for this?"

She snorted quietly, her tongue flicking out to trace the bone jutting gently beneath his skin. "Only if we get caught,"

"Then maybe you should stop," As much to her displeasure as his own, he placed his hands on her shoulders and gently pried her off.

She watched him, quirking an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"Because," Neo ran his hands down her arms until he could take her own as a peace offering. "Morpheus should be back any second,"

"Like now,"

Trinity jumped at the sound of her captain's voice. "Sir," She scrambled to her feet as a sign of respect. "I, uh -" she fumbled, losing the track she was taking.

Neo's eyes shot between the two. The commanding officer was the only person in the free world who could make the intimidating second-in-command stutter over her words. It was quite a sight. He would not soon be forgetting the priceless expression on his lover's face.

Trinity quickly composed herself. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," Morpheus replied, still leaning against the wall by the ladder.

"I apologize," The woman lowered her head for a moment before meeting his eyes. "It will not happen again,"

"I'm sure," The captain nodded in her direction to show that he accepted her apology before looking to Neo.

"I'm sorry, too," Neo smirked. "But she _is _pretty hard to resist,"

"So I saw," Morpheus raised an eyebrow, causing Trinity to duck her head to hide to color rising in her usually pale cheeks. "You are both dismissed to continue your displays of affection in the privacy of your room,"

Trinity's head shot back up. "But sir, it's my shift; you shouldn't take it for me,"

"It seemed you were quite ready to let Neo take it for you,"

"He can be kinda _convincing _sometimes," The second-in-command shot a look to the One. "But you shouldn't have to do that,"

"I wasn't planning on it," Morpheus offered Neo a hand to help him from his slouched position in the chair.

"Sir?" She raised her eyebrows, surprised at the implication.

"Things have been relatively calm the past few days," He glanced at the monitors. "I think it would be safe to take a full nights' rest. Now go on, I know you're itching to get your hands on each other."

Neo blushed and risked a look at Trinity. She grinned at him, amused, before returning her attention to the captain. "Are you sure, sir?"

"Trinity," Morpheus walked up to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I don't think anything will happen between now and the morning. And don't think I haven't seen you nodding off during meals, as well on your own shift in the middle of the night. You should get a head start on the rest you'll be getting in two days' time on our leave in Zion. And besides," He whapped gently at her head, a fatherly grin on his face that Neo had never seen him give anyone other than her. "it wouldn't do any good for my best soldier to be incapacitated due to lack of sleep."

"Thank you, Morpheus," she said, letting her guard down a bit. He pushed her tenderly toward Neo, who had made his way to the ladder. She smiled wanly at him as she left and made her way back the way she had come earlier.

Once they had closed the door, Neo turned to her. "You know," he said quietly, pulling her toward him, "He looks at you as a daughter sometimes,"

Trinity smiled. "Why do you say that? He doesn't treat me any differently than the rest of…the crew," Her words died off as she remembered that they _were _the crew now.

Neo drew her into a tight embrace, catching the tone of her voice. He kissed the top of her head before pressing their foreheads together. "Now what do you say we continue what we had to postpone?"

Her smile turned devilish. "I say, kiss me,"

He certainly didn't waste any time complying.


End file.
